.AFRICA BRAND

DotConnectAfrica has anchored the dotAfrica Brand on 3 major principles;

1- To brand the Continent’s product and services so people will know what Africa does and the positives that Africa has to offer. While Africa’s image has suffered thru war, famine and governance issues, there is also another image that the world does not know about Africa, and that can be told through its people when they engage in promoting their products & services for trade and investment in the new gTLD.

Bekele at ICANN forum making a case for .africa

2- DotConnectAfrica has created “generation.africa”, a theme, to empower the youth to adapt to the powers of the internet and its use, thus enjoying a great following thus far. We want the .africa gTLD to benefit Africa, a potential of 900 Million people.

3- A shift in industry from US market of .com and .org to Africa empowered by the dotafrica registry to Africa, which is to be housed locally in the continent. This will mean development of new industry and market for Africa empowering African jobs and wealth creation. So that Africa does not have come to ICANN for financial support, like the community gtlds. Dotafrica registry can instead fulfill that need, and this DCA has announced at the Brussels ICANN meeting.

So these are very powerful and compelling reasons for Africa to need this gTLD and has been provided as our economic study for ICANN that can be used as input. So ICANN should continue with its commitment with new gtlds, as soon as possible.

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The above key concepts were communicated to ICANN and the ICANN Board at the Public forum of the ICANN Cartegena meeting in December 2010. A full Press release on the subject can be found here: http://prlog.org/11150099